…Anambra’s security outfit, Agunechemba, carried out the demolition.
ANAMBRA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The Anambra State Government has pulled down the shrine of a native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly known as “Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki,” located in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area, following a High Court ruling delivered on Friday in Awka.
Anambra’s security outfit, Agunechemba, carried out the demolition, under the supervision of Ben Emeakayi, Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Community Security.
During the operation, the expansive shrine, filled with ritual pots, photographs, sculpted figures, clothing, and other traditional objects was carefully dismantled and subsequently set on fire.
Earlier that day, a High Court in Awka presided over by Justice Jude Obiora sentenced Nwangwu to 11 months in prison for engaging in ritual practices popularly referred to as “oke ite,” along with other related offences.
The conviction followed the arrest of Nwangwu and two other native doctors, Eke Hit and Onye Eze, over allegations bordering on money rituals, “oke ite,” and the preparation of charms for criminal activities.
The trio were apprehended in February 2025, shortly after Governor Soludo initiated a clampdown on native doctors in the wake of the signing of the Anambra State Homeland Security Law, which led to the establishment of the Agunechemba and Operation Udo-ga-chi security outfits.
Authorities said their activities were linked to the surge in insecurity previously witnessed in the state, a situation they noted has considerably improved.
Of the 10 charges brought against Nwangwu, Justice Obiora dismissed six while affirming four counts. The court also set aside a cumulative six-year jail term and a N60 million optional fine that would have run concurrently.
The demolition of the shrine underscores the state government’s resolve to enforce court decisions and sustain its wider crackdown on ritual-related and criminal activities.
More details later…
